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Thoughts while waiting for the coffee to brew

Happy Birthday, Wolfgang!

After a slight wobble when she called CNN two weeks ago, Oprah retakes the crown as Queen of the Known Universe. Thank goodness. Did anyone actually see the show?

I had a moment last night when I was IMing three of our four kids at the same time. It was so cool I could barely contain myself.

I have another massive list of books for BH to fetch home from the library for me. I’m going to need new glasses by the time this research is over.

I keep looking for situations in which I can say “Gotham” and “dolt”. Do you ever do that, obsess over a word for a while and try to shove it into sentences where it doesn’t belong until your friends scream “Cut it out! God, you’re such a dolt!”

Hee.

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Aunt Janet’s advice & picture book news

See, the thing about my Aunt Jan was, she didn’t have much patience for moping. “Knock it off and get to work,” I can hear her saying. So I have to stop. Right. Now. Don’t get me wrong, I am still very, very sad about her death. But I am afraid she’ll haunt me if I don’t live the way she taught us, which means hard work, laughter, and integrity.

So back to work.

I’ve talked about my writing process here a couple of times. For my new novel, I am approaching it a bit differently. First, it is historical fiction, so it has to be grounded in actual events. That means I have to know what the heck I am talking about. (Which is why I am reading myself blind right now.) It also means I have to work from an outline from Day One. So as I am researching and finding the nuggets that I want to include, I am also building an outline for the book itself. This feels good. Right now the outline is very rough. I am psyched about filling it in.

The sketches for my new historical picture books have been arriving. I LOVE THEM!!! They are brilliant and funny and I wish, I wish I could show them to you right now, but if I do, the publishing gods will frown. As the book moves farther along in the publication process, I’ll keep you updated. As soon as I can share things like the title and peeks at the art, I will. (I think we’re shooting for a Summer 2007 publication date.)

PS – Here is what made me smile this morning. A little birdie forwarded a link to a teen’s blog, to an entry where she wrote that she was supposed to be studying for her Chemistry Regents, but she was reading CATALYST instead. ::grinning::

PPS – Thank you so much to everyone who wrote with such kindness and support yesterday, especially those folks who asked that their screened comments remain screened. Much appreciated.

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another sad day

This is a bad season for the elderly of our family.

My Aunt Janet died yesterday. She was the aunt whom I spent the most time with growing up. When I was little, she scared me to death because she could be tough, and, let’s be honest, a wee bit ornery. As I grew older, I began to appreciate all she had done with her life, including leaving an abusive marriage back in the day when most women couldn’t leave, and doing a great job raising my cousin, and taking care of my grandparents in their old age. She was always volunteering with church, and teaching people how to read. She made great tuna fish sandwiches. She was a classy dame with an Irish temper and a mind like a steel trap. She is/was/is one of my heroes.

The biggest impact she had on me was with books. There were not many books in my house growing up, and those that we had were mostly religious texts (Dad was a minister). Aunt Janet never lived in a big house, or a grand apartment, but wherever she lived, she had shelves and shelves of books. I used to stare at her bookshelves and drool. She showed me that books were good and important and worth dedicating a part of your life to.

She had one of the best laughs in the North Country.

I miss her wicked.

PS – Alert to everyone I know. I call a “No Dying Week”. If you have to die, you need to reschedule it until a week from today, at the earliest.

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ALA awards announced!!

Many, many congratulations to all the winners!!!!!

The Printz
LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

Honor Books
BLACK JUICE by Margo Lanagan
I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak
JOHN LENNON: ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH by Elizabeth Partridge
A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL by Marilyn Nelson

The Newbery Medal
CRISS CROSS by Lynne Rae Perkins

Honor Books
WHITTINGTON by Alan Armstrong
HITLER YOUTH by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale
SHOW WAY by Jacqueline Woodson

The Caldecott Medal
THE HELLO GOODBYE WINDOW illus. by Chris Raschka, written by Norton Juster

Honor Books
ROSA, illus. by Bryan Collier, written by Nikki Giovanni
ZEN SHORTS written and illus. by Jon Muth
HOT AIR: THE (MOSTLY) TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST HOT-AIR BALLOON RIDE written and illus. by Marjorie Priceman
SONG OF THE WATERBOATMAN AND OTHER POND POEMS illus. by Beckie Prang, written by Joyce Sidman